Rumor: New Microsoft Ad Deal is Why Hulu Blocked PlayStation 3?

Rumor: New Microsoft Ad Deal is Why Hulu Blocked PlayStation 3?

As reported a few days ago, since last weekend Hulu started blocking PlayStation 3 owners from accessing content.

Speculation is now underway whether it's due to Hulu's recent TOS change, or if a new partnership with Microsoft is behind the dreaded "This Video is Not Available on Your Platform" messages PS3 owners are currently seeing.

To quote: A more interesting theory is that Microsoft paid off Hulu to block the PS3. Rumors of Hulu coming to the Xbox 360 have been circulating ever since Netflix 'Watch Now' arrived on the console.

If in fact Microsoft was in negotiations with Hulu to offer the service through their hardware, it isn't hard to imagine one condition of the deal (sweetened with a big sack of shiny gold coins) being that Playstation 3 owners be blocked. (But then, see above re: nervous network execs.)

No matter what the truth is, once again the consumer loses out. Is it too much to ask for transparency when changes like this are made? Wouldn't it be refreshing if Hulu made clear why it is suddenly cutting off some users of its service?

Not Fair

I don't get it. I always see 360 fans saying PS3 fans compare Hulu to their Netflix integration, yet I own a 360 and haven't touched it. I mean, I use so many other sites for my viewing pleasure (All of which run silky smooth on my PS3 but run like crap on both of my laptops) that I guess I haven't bothered. Maybe when you only have access to one source of online movie viewing, you start believing silly things. Hmm. Weird.

When things like this happen (and happen more often than I can imagine) always comes to my mind the Simpsons episode when Bill Gates (of hell) goes to the Simpsons house to "buy" Homerīs internet company.